As it was announced by the rider himself via his twitter account, Jerome Pineau will not participate in this year’s sprinters-friendly edition of Milano-Sanremo due to a flu which effectively pinned the IAM Cycling rider to bed.

Despite the obvious charm of the first monument of the cycling season, the 34-year old IAM Cycling rider most likely didn’t lament long over his withdrawal as he has never excelled on La Primavera route. The 48th place taken twice in 2009 and 2012 was Pineau’s best result in Italian classic in six attempts.

However, the 34-year old Frenchman definitely hopes to return to competition for the coming Flemish cycling week and to rebuild his strength weakened by the flu towards the Ardennes classics, certainly more suitable to his characteristics.

“If this damn flu agrees to leave me alone, I would be back to racing as soon as for the Dwars door Vlaanderen 26/03, I hope,” Pineau wrote on his twitter account.